The present invention is directed to a combination storage and carrying device uniquely adaptable for holding and transporting a plurality of stacked items, such as firewood and the like.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence in the use of wood-burning fireplaces and stoves to provide a supplemental, and in some instances, the main source of heat for residential and commercial dwellings. Fireplaces also serve the additional function of providing enjoyment, while many wood-burning stoves are actually used for cooking. Conventionally, firewood is stacked adjacent to the dwelling and, as the need arises, a quantity of firewood is carried by hand from the stack to a woodbox or the like located adjacent the fireplace or stove. Such a procedure has proven less than completely satisfactory for several reasons. Because conventional woodboxes can only hold a relatively small quantity of firewood, frequent trips to the wood stack are usually necessary in order to keep the fire going. Furthermore, in climates subject to moderate or severe winters, the logs forming the stack tend to freeze to one another, forming a solid mass of wood and making separation of individual logs difficult, time-consuming and dangerous to the health of anyone attempting to pry the logs apart from such a frozen stack during the coldest periods of the winter. Finally, conventional wood stacks often collapse under the accumulation of snow or in the face of especially adverse weather conditions because of the lack of direct or lateral support for the stacked logs.
In an attempt to reduce the number of trips between the wood stack and the fireplace in bad weather, it has been suggested that a wood holder be positioned in an area protected from the weather, such as a porch or garage. A relatively large quantity of firewood could then be transferred from the wood stack to such a wood holder, which is usually a hoop-shaped assembly, with a smaller quantity of wood subsequently being transferred between the wood holder and the woodbox as required. While such an assembly can reduce the number of trips to the wood stack, it cannot overcome the often serious problems associated with removing frozen logs from the stack itself. Finally, the awkward shape of conventional holding assemblies such as the hoop-shaped assembly make it difficult to transport the holder when filled, while at the same time allowing the wood to easily slip from the holder when not stacked tight.
In comparison, applicant's present invention provides a combination storage and carrying device capable of storing a quantity of stacked items, such as firewood, over an extended period of time in the face of adverse weather conditions without the danger of collapse. By positioning a plurality of the storage devices adjacent one another and above one another, a quantity of wood can be stacked which will not collapse under the accumulation of snow. Furthermore, as logs are required for the fireplace or stove, one or more of the filled storage devices can be easily transferred to the dwelling without affecting the stability of the remaining devices. Because the storage device also functions as a carrying device, a quantity of stacked logs can be easily transported without the danger of one or more logs slipping from the device as in the prior art. The device also includes uniquely shaped handles which elevate the base member from contact with a support surface, thereby allowing the storage and carrying device to be positioned on a polished floor or carpet without damaging the surface thereof. This, in turn, allows the large capacity storage and carrying device of the present invention to replace the conventional, small capacity woodbox for storing wood immediately prior to use.
As pointed out hereinabove, the present invention is not intended to be used solely for the storage and carrying of firewood. Rather, the present invention is intended for use in storing and carrying almost any type of item or items which can be balanced on a support assembly of the device. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, loads in excess of two hundred pounds can be safely lifted without damaging the support assembly and attached handles.